GAME DAY: Dallas Stars @ Ottawa Senators - 7:00pm Dec. 20th, 2008

dirtydirtynorth wrote:Nice shot/goal by Alfie...

But this whole not televised in Canada but is televised in Dallas even though it is being played in Ottawa is blowing my mind... It's our national sport... It's on our currency, what the hell?!?!?!

Thank CBC. They've got the rights to all Canadian games on Saturday nights. If they don't play it, no one in Canada (TSN, Sportsnet) can play it either. It had to be a US broadcaster.

shabbs wrote:With the way the team celebrated after that win... turning point?

I hope not. They were celebrating after Gerber's shutout, too.

This is the worst position possible to be in. Not good enough to do anything in the playoffs, not bad enough to get Hedman.

This is the frustrating part. Where when you want them to win, they lose, and when you want them to lose, they win. This is Leafs territory.

asq2 wrote:

shabbs wrote:With the way the team celebrated after that win... turning point?

I hope not. They were celebrating after Gerber's shutout, too.

This is the worst position possible to be in. Not good enough to do anything in the playoffs, not bad enough to get Hedman.

This is the frustrating part. Where when you want them to win, they lose, and when you want them to lose, they win. This is Leafs territory.

Agreed. As a fan it's a real struggle. I want to cheer for them, but just uh......Hedman.

hemlock wrote:

shabbs wrote:

hemlock wrote:

dirtydirtynorth wrote:Nice to see Gator score. You know he had to get his goal in before 2008 was up.

His last goal was October 07. His first point this season. Which moves him into a tie for 3rd in team scoring. :lol!:

What? How is he 3rd?

Turn on your sarcasm detector plz.

Ahhhh...

Atlanta won, but TB lost again (obviously considering they were playing each-other). Right now it looks like TB will run away with Hedman.

We need those games to go to OT or something.

asq2 wrote:Atlanta won, but TB lost again (obviously considering they were playing each-other). Right now it looks like TB will run away with Hedman.

We need those games to go to OT or something.

All we need to do is finish in the bottom 3 I think it is. The we go lottery styles. Sure our odds are better finishing dead last, but...

Don Cherry seems to think that this may be a turning point for Ottawa... a prediction he has made.

I believe the lottery is the bottom 5 teams, with the last place team having a 48% chance, i believe.

OK, this'll have to be a quick post before putting the kids off to bed. Just got back from the game. That was a very exciting game. Some very quick points:

1. Smith with his 1st point as a Sen!
2. Foligno had a whale of a game. I would have e-mailed TGOR to complain if they didn't pick him 1st.
3. Vermette's goal.
4. PP 3 for 6.
5. Vermette taking the draw with Spezza on the ice. Enfin!

Negatives:
1. Aflie. How they missed that I don't know. Any news on him?
2. Reffing: boo!
3. Gerber: I was one of the ones cheering when he stopped the puck that Dallas cleared on a penalty kill. Don't like to mock, especially in front of my 10 year old, but that was some horrible goaltending.
4. Heatley: several times I thought that was Spezza. What's wrong with that guy?
5. Couple of genltemen in front of us, talking no-stop through both national anthems. I just sand louder and started leaning toward them. By the time it was done I was bout a foot away from one of the buddies, singing at the top of my lungs (and I've got a pair, let me tell you).
6. People leaving with 6 minutes to go (just before Dallas tied it up). More people leaving with less than 2 minutes to go.

Now, got a great deal. In one of the Sensations stores they had game-worn or practice sweaters for $50. These were real game-jerseys with tie downs, and many had names and numbers. Names like Bashkirov, Gryba and a few I didn't recognize at all. There was eeven a Hennessey and a Hosaaa (yes, three As at the end).

In the end I got this beautiful black one (with the gold trim at the bottom). It had no name on it, so it would have been a practice sweater. Had #1 on the back, so it was practically brand new.

pgood wrote:

asq2 wrote:Atlanta won, but TB lost again (obviously considering they were playing each-other). Right now it looks like TB will run away with Hedman.

We need those games to go to OT or something.

All we need to do is finish in the bottom 3 I think it is. The we go lottery styles. Sure our odds are better finishing dead last, but...

Don Cherry seems to think that this may be a turning point for Ottawa... a prediction he has made.

With the goaltending we got tonight, I'm sold. :lol!:


Yes, there were some bright spots (if you are still cheering for the Sens to win that is) but let's keep in mind that this was DALLAS. Outside of Erickson, Richards, and Modano there isn't much there. Losing Hagman and Miettinen (sp?) really hurt them. Avery...well he is a waste of words. I did like what little I saw of Daley though.

dirtydirtynorth wrote:I believe the lottery is the bottom 5 teams, with the last place team having a 48% chance, i believe.

That's my understanding as well.

This team is not good enough to go far.

Please, keep losing.

asq2 wrote:This team is not good enough to go far.

Please, keep losing.

A fallen comrade -- the Captain, no less -- a long trip away from home. It has all the markings for a Hollywood-style turnaround.

Oh, one more thing I forgot to mention on the "Neeagtives" ledger. Buddy down in the lower bowl (I was in 209) was wearing an Avery sweater. Name, numbers, the works. Those things ain't cheap, and to spend that cash on Avery, wow. And if this guy lives in Ottawa, well, that's as low class as you can go.

P.S. Just tried on the sweater I bought. OMG, I think it *was* Emery's. It's *huge* and has really funny sleeves that almost hang-down around the elbows. I'm not a small guy and it's too big on me. It just has to be a goalie's sweater.

DAMN! Why doesn't Spezza play like this 24/7!!??

Somehow the hit on Alfie sparked Spezza, he was playing like a man possessed the rest of the game. Even though he only had the goal he looked like a gamebreaker out there.

This is the frustrating part. Where when you want them to win, they lose, and when you want them to lose, they win. This is Leafs territory.

Aw no don't say that :bounce:
You're probably right, I just don't want to think about it haha.

http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Columnists/Garrioch/2008/12/21/7819966-sun.html

Brett Hull's take on Spezza. I don't mean to beat a dead horse but I've been sitting on the fence with Spezza for some time now. Arguements to deal him away and to be patient and keep him both make sense on some level.

More on that sweater I picked up. Definitely a goalie sweater (tag inside says "Goalie Style"). Did any other goalie for the Sens (rookie/development or training camp) wear 1? If not, then it's definitely Emery's. While that's cool and all, it's a little hard to wear, specifically how huge the sleeves are around the elbows. I'd probably also want to change the number (like, maybe, add a 1 or a 5 beside the 1).

Does anyone know if you can (easily) modify a goalie sweater to take in the elbows? Also, a good place to change the numbers?

beerandsens wrote:http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Columnists/Garrioch/2008/12/21/7819966-sun.html

Brett Hull's take on Spezza. I don't mean to beat a dead horse but I've been sitting on the fence with Spezza for some time now. Arguements to deal him away and to be patient and keep him both make sense on some level.

Good read. Yes, there are arguments for both sides of the Spezza debate. What is not mentioned though is the economic reality that the Sens face. This team is too top heavy salary wise. Particularly when you only have 3 consistent scoring threats. And when they aren't scoring, for whatever reason, it magnifies the problem. With Alfie playing his career out in Ottawa, Heatley and Fisher having NMC/NTC's, the reality is that Spezza may be the odd man out to balance this club's cap situation. Would moving guys like Kelly, Neil and Vermette be a better option? Sure, but what realistically would be the return for these guys? IF you could clear their salaries, it would free about $6 million in cap space to use on a PMD, but then we'd have no choice but to use callup to fill the voids at forward. Where does that leave our offence?

Personally, I don't want to see a move with Spezza done until the draft, or at least after the season when the draft order is somewhat set. Although that Atl idea that asq2 proposed might change my mind.

As I have been saying, there's no deal that makes sense for Ottawa to trade Spezza, so you keep him and try to trade Fisher.